As an independent visual artist based in Canberra, Australia. Kirstie’s works over the past 40 years has explored her love of and care for places outside city limits, beyond the urban fringe. She draws inspiration from a deep appreciation of these places and continues to return to them as field research.
Photo Credit: Adam McGrath
At the core this investigation lies a desire to seek an understanding of our often-tenuous connections to place. Walking in these places, seeking solitude and distance from the everyday, Kirstie draws on her photography and writing to inform her making.
Alongside this inquiry is Kirstie’s in-depth knowledge of her primary material, glass and the processes she employs to create her work.
Having established her studio in 1987, following her graduation from the Glass program at the Canberra School of Art, Kirstie has over the past 35 years continued to develop her practice to become internationally recognised and respected for her works in glass. She has exhibited widely internationally, and her work has been included in numerous Australian Glass survey shows. Kirstie has had solo exhibitions in Australia, Japan, the USA, New Zealand and Hong Kong and her work is now included in international collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the National Gallery of Australia and the Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung Foundation in Munich Germany.
Kirstie was a lecturer in the Glass Workshop, Australian National University from 1987-2006, and was the inaugural Creative Director at the Canberra Glassworks, Australia from November 2006 to February 2008.
Teaching and mentoring new generations of glass artists has played a major role in Kirstie’s arts practice. She has taught in her field of kiln formed glass and cold working techniques across the world since 1987. These teaching venues include Pilchuck Glass School USA, the Corning Studio, USA, Pittsburgh Glass Centre, USA, North Lands Creative Glass in Scotland and Vetroricerca School in Bolzano Italy. From 2003 - 2005 Kirstie served on the Board of Directors for the Glass Art Society (USA) and was closely involved in the organisation and running of three international glass conferences. She also served on the Board of Directors of Ausglass and was a co-chair for the 14 th biennial Ausglass conference Open House in 2008 and again in 2017 for the (r)evolve Ausglass conference.
Her practice has been recognised by a number of significant awards including, Ausglass Honorary Life Membership Award (2009), the artsACT Creative Arts Fellowship (2004), the CAPO Fellow Award (2014), the Canberra Glassworks Fellowship (2016) and in 2023 she was awarded one of eleven Craft Master Awards from the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific Region.
Alongside this inquiry is Kirstie’s in-depth knowledge of her primary material, glass and the processes she employs to create her work.
Having established her studio in 1987, following her graduation from the Glass program at the Canberra School of Art, Kirstie has over the past 35 years continued to develop her practice to become internationally recognised and respected for her works in glass. She has exhibited widely internationally, and her work has been included in numerous Australian Glass survey shows. Kirstie has had solo exhibitions in Australia, Japan, the USA, New Zealand and Hong Kong and her work is now included in international collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the National Gallery of Australia and the Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung Foundation in Munich Germany.
Kirstie was a lecturer in the Glass Workshop, Australian National University from 1987-2006, and was the inaugural Creative Director at the Canberra Glassworks, Australia from November 2006 to February 2008.
Teaching and mentoring new generations of glass artists has played a major role in Kirstie’s arts practice. She has taught in her field of kiln formed glass and cold working techniques across the world since 1987. These teaching venues include Pilchuck Glass School USA, the Corning Studio, USA, Pittsburgh Glass Centre, USA, North Lands Creative Glass in Scotland and Vetroricerca School in Bolzano Italy. From 2003 - 2005 Kirstie served on the Board of Directors for the Glass Art Society (USA) and was closely involved in the organisation and running of three international glass conferences. She also served on the Board of Directors of Ausglass and was a co-chair for the 14 th biennial Ausglass conference Open House in 2008 and again in 2017 for the (r)evolve Ausglass conference.
Her practice has been recognised by a number of significant awards including, Ausglass Honorary Life Membership Award (2009), the artsACT Creative Arts Fellowship (2004), the CAPO Fellow Award (2014), the Canberra Glassworks Fellowship (2016) and in 2023 she was awarded one of eleven Craft Master Awards from the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific Region.
I walk to stop, to be still.
A fluid stillness that plants my feet.
They consider growing roots, a
momentary transplant.
Between clouds, trees, boulders and a creek in a valley, the fragility of moments becomes transparent and tangible.
– Kirstie Rea
